Label: Efficient Space – ES002 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Compilation Country: Australia Released: 08 Jul 2016 Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop Style:Folk, New Wave, Lo-Fi
The compilation that sort of changed everything.
Sky Girl was originally created by DJ Sundae and Julien Dechery as a mix cd for the now defunct Paris boutique Colette. It was then picked up the keen ears of MichaelKucyk at Efficient Space and, in what must have been a heroic feat of licensing detective work, was turned into a double LP. I would argue that in some important ways this release changed our corner of music absolutely for the better.
The key thread which ties these songs together is that they were all created outside of the mainstream music industry. They are all what might be called ‘private press’, ‘diy’ or ‘real people’ records. During the last 20 years with the slow death of music as a way of making proper money, this category of old music awaiting discovery has become increasingly attractive and poignant. This interest started via collectors pushing at the edge of their chosen genres. People searching hard for the most perfect and most obscure version of their trope of choice: the rarest record with fuzz guitar/D-beat drums/funk breaks etc etc. What makes this compilation so special though, is that it is pushing the same limits of rarity, but isn’t interested in the formal. There are so many micro genres present here (lofi indie, synth soul, teen garage, lounge psych and on and on) but what links them is emotion not style. The whole thing is bathed in a feeling of dreamy regret. It conjures the dazed, innocent response to adult problems impinging on a long-outgrown teenage dreamworld.
The most important thing here though, is the quality of the songs and how well they have been put together. I maintain that anyone anywhere listening properly would respond to this LP. I can imagine it as the accompaniment a long car journey, or as the soundtrack to sweet and only slightly auteurish romantic film. Far beyond the tiny world of record people this compilation has the potential to reach and captivate. Six years on from its original release it still works it’s magic.. (mint / new - with DL)
Tracklist A1 –Linda Smith I So Liked Spring 5:28 A2 –Karen Marks Cold Café 3:04 A3 –Bruce Langhorne Leaving Del Norte 1:57 A4 –The Seraphims Consciousness Of Happening 2:15 B1 –Gary Davenport Sarra 5:02 B2 –Some Of My Best Friends Are Canadians Feeling Sheepish 4:12 B3 –The Rising Storm Frozen Laughter 3:12 C1 –Warfield Spillers Daddy's Little Girl 4:53 C2 –Joyce Heath I Wouldn't Dream Of It 2:17 C3 –Joe Tossini And Friends Wild Dream 4:27 C4 –Scott Seskind I Remember 2:57 D1 –Angel (63) Driving (Down) 4:28 D2 –Nini Raviolette and Hugo Weris Slow 1:04 D3 –Nora Guthrie Home Before Dark 2:36 D4 –Once (3) Joanna 3:28
